Sequestration of ions is commonly used in various aqueous solutions to hold potentially interfering ions in solution so as to avoid problems such as precipitation or discoloration. Aqueous laundry solutions, such as laundry detergent or bleaching solutions, are especially benefited by the presence of sequestrants. Phosphates have been the most commonly used additives in laundry compositions, both as sequestrants and builders. However, concerns about the adverse effect of phosphates on the environment have led to extensive searches for effective replacements for the phosphates. Zeolites have been used as partial or total replacements for phosphates in laundry detergent compositions but have not been as effective as desired. More recently, various organic sequestrants have been proposed, including organic acids, such as the sugar acids. Mehltretter et al., Industrial and Engineering Chemistry, Vol. 45 (1953), pages 2782-2784, compares the sequestering action of various sugar acids such as the alkali metal glucarate or saccharate, glucoheptonate and gluconate. Wilham and Mehitretter, Journal of the American Oil Chemists' Society, 48 (1971), pages 682-3, evaluated the sugar acids and concluded that they were poor builders for alkaline detergent formulations, with not much chelating effect at pH 10. Lamberti et al., U.S. Pat. No. 3,954,858, describe a group of organic sequestrant builders for use in detergent compositions which can be prepared by an intramolecular Michael-type reaction. The compounds can be used either as the sole builder, or where desired, can be used in conjunction with other builders, such as the phosphates, nitrilotriacetate, polyacrylates, ether polycarboxylates, citrates and starch or cellulose derived polycarboxylates. Dutch Patent No. 99202 proposes the use of a mixture of one or more organic compounds having at least two vicinal OH groups, such as the gluconates, with boric acid or borates as sequestrants for water softening. Heesen U.S. Pat. No. 4,000,083 also shows use of combinations of boric acid and borates with organic compounds having two vicinal hydroxy groups as sequestering agents. The compounds of Heesen have one or two carboxylic acid groups in the molecule, at least one being at a terminal position and adjacent to one of the hydroxy groups. Quill et al, Proceedings of the 3rd World Surfactants Congress (CESIO), London (1992) pages 17-31, report studies on the effectiveness of the saccharate-perborate system as a combined builder and bleach system for detergent formulations. Van Duin et al, Journal of the Chemical Society Perkin Transactions II (1987), pages 473-478, report on the structure and stability of borate esters formed in aqueous solutions of the glucarate-borate-calcium system.